AA Edit | Keep President out of Politics
Narendra Modi, Mamata Banerjee trade charges over President’s visit controversy
The controversies around the allegations of violation of protocols during the visit of President Droupadi Murmu to West Bengal to attend the 9th International Santhal Conference on Saturday have now assumed political colour with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee joining issue. The controversy involves political leadership at the highest level in the country and hence be resolved in an exemplary manner for the future, instead of being made into a topic for a political slugfest.
President Murmu was disappointed with the change of venue from Bidhannagar to a smaller site in Gossainpur for the event, which was organised by a private group.
She was also upset that no senior politician or bureaucrat, save the mayor of the town, was there to receive or facilitate her visit. Her disappointment got reflected in her speech in which she hinted at a conspiracy against the development of the Santal tribe and giving recognition to the contribution of the community towards India’s independence.
The Prime Minister sees the alleged violation of the protocol as an insult to the President and says the people of West Bengal “will never forgive the insult of the country’s President” who is a tribal woman.
The Trinamul Congress cannot leave Mr Modi’s statement unattended in an election year, and hence Chief Minister Banerjee has come out with an incident in which she alleged that the Prime Minister was the first to insult the President. The Union government has asked for the response of the state government on the alleged violations of protocol, which has been provided.
It is unacceptable that the President’s office has been mired in such a controversy; it is equally unacceptable that the political leadership which has a responsibility to settle it has chosen to inflame it further. Every visit of the first citizen of the country to a state must be coordinated by the authorities concerned in such a manner that it leaves only pleasant memories, and not bitter ones.